On June 28, in Mangalore, commuters and motorists faced difficulties due to the delay in the construction of a short bridge across the Falguni river in Ulaibettu Sale Melmene under Ulaibettu Gram Panchayat. The bridge, which is being built at a cost of about 5 crore rupees, was supposed to be completed before the current rainy season. However, the delay has forced people to take alternative routes such as Ulaibettu-Permanki or Mallur-Benjanpadu to reach Mangalore. The old bridge was demolished, and a temporary dirt road was built through the paddy fields in Ulaibettu, but it has become impassable due to rain. Several vehicles, including a police car, got stuck in the mud while trying to navigate this road. The bridge work began in 2025, but locals have complained that the progress has been slow. The District Collector had ordered the closure of Parari-Ulai Bettu and Addur-Polali bridges in 2024 due to their dilapidated condition. While the Polali bridge was reopened after some repairs, the Ulaibettu-Parari short bridge was cleared for traffic without any work being done. The Public Works Department had awarded the contract for the bridge construction to Bhandarkar Construction Company. The bridge is now expected to be inaugurated in the first week of July.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK